2 months old

Yes, I am now that mom writing her child a letter on a blog. Remember when I said that we use blogs for different reasons. Well, this one falls under 'in case I never finish your baby book.' Anyone other than family, feel free to go read Darby :)

Dear Mary Kate,

Tomorrow you will be 2 months old. Today you are asleep, where you have been for the last 3 hours. This is not normal. It's because you have caught your first cold. Dad and I were typical new parents, worrying over you like crazy last night and this morning. We called our fav friend/ped Dr. Stu who gave us the low down until your pediatrician opened. She agreed and gave us a prescription for a vaporizer and lots of TLC. Done and Done.  So, one milestone reached. In other news, you are a chub. Dr. Wolf concluded that you have nearly doubled your birth weight in 2 months and today sit in at a hearty 11 lbs, 11 oz. I'm not surprised. We find new rolls and new chins every day. And I love each one of them.

This month you have begun sleeping longer stretches, no doubt thanks to your fuller belly. You still wake me at 4 or so a few times a week but throw in an 11p-6a just often enough to make me think I will survive this "4th trimester." As much as I have griped about sleep issues, last night I layed in bed missing you. Your dad takes the 9:30 ish to 12:30 am ish shift and usually I head to bed. I have to put the fan on extra loud so I don't rush to you with every peep. You mostly love this time with dad, as he does with you, but it can also be a fussy time of day for you. I was reading in bed last night, willing myself not to go take you from his arms. We all need this special time. You and he together, and, as much as I don't want to admit it, me by my lonesome. So, I read and I slept and was not at all unhappy when that nasty congestion woke you at midnight. and 2:30 and 4:15 and 7:30. I finally realize what aunt Natalie was talking about when she said she did find herself loving that middle of the night time with her boy.

**the rest of yesterday was a wash as that cold took you over. today is your actual 2 month birthday!**

I'd take a picture of you but you are asleep in your carseat, in your crib, where you have been mostly since 1am. You are sleeping so much and dad reminds me that you need this to kick that cold. But I miss you kiddo. Yes, the bottles are washed and the bed is made. Yes my teeth are now brushed and hair, while dirty, is brushed and up. Mail is sorted. You sleeping makes these things possible but I really don't care. I miss you little nugget.

Since this post has absolutely no organization, I figure I will just write some things I don't want to forget. I didn't do a birth post and already find some of those memories fading. So on your 2 month birthday, some memories of your birthday and the most joyous two months ever that have followed.

On July 9, 2010, we went in for a scheduled induction. We really prayed over the decision to induce you and for many reasons, chose to go ahead. Turns out, it wasn't that necessary as our precious nurse said you would have been born that day anyway, at the latest the next morning. So we got the best of both worlds- knowing you were fully baked and ready to meet us, and the amazing ease of an induction. Piedmont hospital was so fantastic and while I can definitely wait to have another baby, I will be thrilled to go back there. Your great uncle Howard pulled some mega strings and got us a fantastic anesthesiologist and some rationed additional drugs. I did not even feel the dreaded epidural. (Let it be known that while the epidural was occuring your dad had run home to get a jacket- which mom suggested he bring that morning but he didn't :), so, Aunt Katie was there to support me while the long needle went into my back!

I remember labor as pretty easy. I was texting our great friend Ashley and she texted "I assume you got an epidural since you are texting me during labor!" She was right and I loved it. Labor was not bad but it lasted for danged ever and I was exhausted by pushing time. Pushing was not great. I will leave it at that. I was tired and emotional and I just remember saying "I'm not a good pusher, through many tears." I also got very sick during this phase and was profusely apologizing to nurses, again through tears, who quickly asked me to re-focus and get this kid out!

So, at 6:59 pm, exactly one minute before our beloved nurse Shannon had to leave, you were born. Shock and awe are the only way to describe it. It took your dad a minute to proclaim "It's a ..." We were both thinking boy, mostly because I was gifted with an impromptu ultrasound at work and thought I inadvertently saw little boy parts. So we were flooooored when dad finally said "we have a daughter. it's a girl!!" He had sweet tears in his eyes and as they put you on my chest, he put his arms around us and finished the only part of our "birth plan" that went according to plan. He prayed in thanksgiving for you, for your health and mine, and for our new family. I had looked forward to that moment more than any other and will treasure it.

I wish I had video of dad going out to tell his mom that she had her first granddaughter after 5 grandsons. I wish I could have seen my mom's face, knowing that her granddaughter was here. But I will relish the photos of memaw Sullivan's first look at you and tears filling her eyes and of Busha holding you in the corner of our room. I remember mostly just being in shock- that I had birthed a baby, that it was a girl. I also have to give credit to your dad. For a guy who is a little old school and wouldn't have been too opposed to being in the waiting room with a cigar, he was more present than he ever thought he'd be. With only one nurse, he had no choice, but he was a rockstar and there is no way on this planet that I could have endured turning the epidural down VERY LOW and finished the biggest physical challenge of my life without him. He has continued this incredible level of involvement every minute since you were born and I am only a decent mother because of who my teammate is in this new, hard, wonderful game called parenthood.

Since that joyous day, you have smiled your first smile, cooed your first coo, blown out more diapers than I knew could happen, slept through the night, been to Savannah twice and Athens once, been blessed by grandFather Tim and Archbishop Gregory of Atlanta, been cuddled by our MC friends, taken your first hike with dad, taken your first swim with dad, watched your first gamecock game (go dawgs!), and had many playdates with Brady, Sadie, Grant, Leah, Madeline, Thomas, Gabe and Langston.

You are finally waking up and I am happy. Last night you slept in my arms while we rocked. Dad read Entertainment Weekly on the chaise and I read American Wife with a glass of wine on the nightstand. We agreed that the hardest part of you being sick isn't your stuffy nose or fussiness, it's seeing you different from the person we now know you to be. We realized that you are already YOU. Seeing you sick made us realize how much we know you, how unique you are with your own little personality and we miss it. But you are strong and are already getting much better so we look forward to our beautiful, strong-willed, sometimes fussy but always loved little girl getting back to normal!

Happy 2 month birthday precious girl!

talking to dad on labor day~ 9.6.10